The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-09-02
Communication.

OUR LABOR TROUBLES. In former
communication l suggested that ! might
point out a way to Obviate our labor tr0ub-
les. ] do not assume tn be wise enough to
submit any scheme that would harmOnize
the conflicting views of the wage earners
and their employees at once, but rather to
pave the way to avoid a recurrence of such
troubles In the future.
The scheme of giving the employed our
interest in the business might for time, at
least, operate satisfactorily to both parties,
but partnership with a great number of
among themselves. Suspicious and jealous
les are liable to arise and destroy the har-
mOniOus working of the operatives or labor
ers The thriftless as well as the thrifty
would be upon common level and the
latter would soon become dissatisfied with
the shftless ways of the former. And the
same may be said of cooperative unions or
associations, still these schemes II generally
adopted would give quiet for time or the
adoption of the eight hour plan, without re-
ductiOn of wages, might give satisfaction
for time but until the public is educated
-four and receive only eight, ii will be I'M
willing to pay for ten hours work and re-
ceive only eight. No wage Garner would.
voluntarily, pay for ten pounds of sugar
and receive only eight pounds, then why
should he require of his employer to do by
him what he would not do for anybody
else, and even We're the scheme universally
adopted all articles of consumption woud
be enhanced in the same ratio and the wage
Garner would be no better off. AS said in
my former communication the price OF any
commodity is governed by supply and de-
mand, and the price of labor is no eXcep-
ton.
Some temporary make-shifts may bridge
over the trouble for the time, but just so
long as there is large surplus of labor, in
any department of industry, Just so long
there will be complaint of insufficient pay.
and such will always be the case so long as
the great mass OF our young men prefer to
work for wages instead of engaging in
some perSult on their own account. If
many more OF our young men would en-
gage in the cultivation of the soil there
would be less complaint about the heartlesS
oppression of employers, it is a fact that it
Is quite difficult for farmers to get help to
carry on their land, hence large decline
IN the agricultural products of the New
England States. Almost any young man
OF industrious and prudent habits can, by
his own industry alone, acquire comfort
able home at the present low prices of
lands, and such home would, under the
owner independent, in great measure of
the fluctuations of trade and besides he
would feel and realize degree of manhood
that no mere wage Garner ever can feel. 1t
is not to be expected that the people of this
country Will ever return to the primitive
habits and customs of the past. Machinery
and improved methods has relieved labor
of many of its hardest tasks but at least
mOiety of the labor is required to make the
machinery. 1t is a cOmlnendable ambition
in any one to strive to acquire such compe-
tence as will tend to improve their moral
and social well being, but the history of the
times demonstrates that no more wage
earners can ever become financially, Jay
Gould or VIM. II. Vanderbilt. 1t always
has been and always will be that occasion
ally there will be a man who acquires i'm
mense riches and there always will be a
corresponding amount of poverty, but how
is it to be avoided? No civilized country
ever did, SO far as l know, punish a man
for acquiring property, nor has any gov
eminent taken from the thrifty and given
to the thriftless. The habits of wage earn
ing tend to Indifference and thriftlessness,
while the tendency of working and manag-
ing for self is the reverse and as there APP
pears to be so slim chance for the average
young man to attain competency at wage |
work would advise him to aspire to some
thing higher. NJ. l..